Three Fates
by purewanderlust
Summary: Oneshots, from Elizbeth, Jack and Will's POVs. Jack has been saved, but who will Elizabeth choose? And who says a stupid compass can decide your fate anyway? T for mentions of sex and language.
1. Elizabeth

**A/N: It's been forever since I had a chance to sit down and work on some fanfiction. Right now I am on Spring Break and so, hopefully, I'll be able to update some of my stuff. First, though, I want to write a short collection of PotC oneshots that I was inspired to write when I saw the new At World's End trailer. I hope that that'll get my creative juices flowing again so I can work on fanfiction while I have some precious free time.**

**Disclaimer: Do I look like The Mouse to you? No? Well good, cuz I own nothing.**

Elizabeth Swann paced the quarterdeck, trying, in futile, to sort out her scrambled thoughts. They has saved Jack, but she had yet to speak to him. Vaguely, she wondered if he hated her or possibly...no. She'd been down this road before, and it led her nowhere.

Perhaps she was so anxious because of her own attempts to keep herself calm. Anytime thoughts of Jack Sparrow had come to her mind, she had pushed them away, thinking that she had several months before she would have to face the issues. Now her time was up and all she could do was wish vainly that she had thought about it when she had time.

The compass. That damn wretched little thing was the cause of all this trouble. When the compass had started to point at Sparrow, Elizabeth had begun to question her own heart. Was it possible that she was mistaken in her love for Will? That she had fallen in love with a roguish, coarse pirate? Elizabeth wanted to say no. More than anything, she wanted to say no.

But that line of thought was always halted by her logic? Why did you kiss him, then? Simply to save the rest of us. Then why does it bother you so much? Why do you wake up in the night, thinking you feel his lips on yours? Okay, maybe I wanted to do it. Maybe I wanted to kiss Jack Sparrow.

Once that was admitted, Elizabeth had to wonder if the compass was correct. Did she love Sparrow? Or did she want him? There was, Elizabeth decided, a fine line between love and lust. Had she just wanted to see what it was like? Just curiosity? Or did she really have feelings for him? And if she did, what did she do about it? Completely disregard her childhood friend and first love and everything he had done for her? Impossible. Her mind rejected the idea at once. Besides, she hadn't decided yet if she really did love Jack.

Sure, she had missed him terribly through this whole journey. She had agreed to help save him. The guilt she felt for murdering him was as fresh as the day it had happened. True, she constantly wondered how he would speak to her, what he would say when they were reunited. But love him? Hardly. Elizabeth snorted at her own ridiculous imagination. And then she reverted to her original plan:

Don't think about it, you still have time.

Right.


	2. Will

**A/N: Here's the second installment to the Three Fates oneshots. Do enjoy and, as usual, R&R!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it! Don't sue me!!**

Will watched Elizabeth's anxious pacing from high above in the crow's nest. She looked nervous. And she might as well be, he supposed.

Mere days ago had they rescued Jack Sparrow from that pathetic spit of land at World's End. Will had taken all measures to avoid the man, biding his time, trying to understand what was going on in his head and in Elizabeth's.

Elizabeth. He had told her, early on, that he had seen her kissing Jack. She had not given him an explanation, nor had she denied it. She had, as had become her custom, stared blankly at him until he chose to walk away. And he did. He loved Elizabeth to death, but, if she didn't want to talk to him, he wasn't going to make her.

This entire situation was ridiculous. How could something as insubstantial as a compass throw Will, and consequentially, Elizabeth, back into the circles in which Jack Sparrow sailed? And how was he to know that his fiancee would fall in love with the pirate, if that was indeed what she had done.

Was she in love with Jack? Yes, he had seen them kissing, moments before the Pearl went down, taking her captain with her. But did that truly mean she loved him? Or was it some clever ruse she had acted on, to keep Jack on the ship, to save her life, and his? The way she had acted later made him think not. Even if she had tricked Jack into staying aboard, she clearly regretted it for some reason or another.

Damn it! How could he possibly know what was going on inside of her mind? Who she loved? He had always taken for granted that he knew she loved him. But now? He wasn't so sure.

And if she loved Jack? If she wanted to stay at the sea with that smooth-talking thief? Who was he to stop her? But Jack doesn't really love her, he can't. Why not? He's a pirate! _You're _a pirate! But his opinion on women? He just wants them for what they can give him and then he's gone. There's no way he would ever marry a girl. You'd be surprised what anyone would do if they are in love.

It was no good arguing with himself. If Elizabeth loved Jack, and Jack reciprocated her feelings, Will would let it be. He loved Elizabeth too much to get in the way of her happiness. But if she loved him? Could they still be married? Did she even want marriage now? It was just too complicated, Will decided.

And, by God, he could use a drink.


	3. Jack

**A/N: I have yet to decide whether I want to write a conclusion to this collection. If you have an opinion on the matter, feel free to express it in a review. Also: Jack is harder to write than the other two, so, if you see ways I could make him better, please let me know. Danke!**

**Disclaimer: God owns pirates. Disney owns _Pirates._ I own nothing. Don't sue me, please.**

Jack leaned back in his chair, one hand wrapped around a bottle of rum and the other thoughtfully fingering the magic compass that had caused all these problems. God, it felt good to be alive! Barbossa gone, Jones gone, the Pearl regained, Jack was free to roam the seas again. He should have been happy.

But he wasn't. In fact, the jumbled and confused thoughts that filled his mind were rather troubling. And all of them focused around one specific person. Elizabeth Swann.

Jack had not yet talked to his murderess, or her fiancée, but he had been surprised to find that she and young William weren't acting very much like an engaged couple. Did Will think he had something to do with the unmanageability of his wife-to-be? How could that be? Unless Lizzie was in love with him or something.

Which, after all, was a possibility. He was quite impressive.

But back to the matter at hand! Lizzie. Elizabeth. Even if she did love him, she would leave with William as soon as they reached Port Royal. Then again, if she wanted to stay aboard the Pearl, Jack would have no problem letting her. But it was simple respect, was all. He would not be fooled by her wily ways again.

Not that he had been before. He'd seen something in her eyes that should have warned him off. But who would he be if he had refused a woman's kiss? Certainly not Captain Jack Sparrow.

Honestly, she had impressed him. A woman willing to throw away her morals and societal restrictions and do what ever the hell she pleased was the kind he liked. That is, if he were to ever fall in love, which he wouldn't. Captain Jack Sparrow wouldn't fall in love with the likes of a Governor's daughter either! No, he was better off as a man standing alone.

Though, he realized, with chagrin, he did esteem Lizzie higher than other women. He wouldn't consider "taking advantage" of her and then leaving like he would with other women. But that had nothing to do with love. Yes, the compass had pointed to her and yes, he had turned around to save her when he had the option of saving himself. But that meant nothing! This mess wasn't the compass' fault. It was Lizzie's.

He shouldn't have kissed her. But he did. Why? It wasn't to take advantage of her. She had wanted it as much as he had. He had been curious. Why should she, a rich, beautiful, high class lady want to kiss him, a scallywag, a dirty, coarse pirate? They say curiosity killed the cat. Maybe it had been fate. He wasn't sure.

But he had done it. So what? Just because of that, just because of how similar they were, how brave and free she was…this argument was going nowhere. He was just going to have to talk to her.

Sooner or later.

Hopefully later.

They said curiosity killed the cat. Apparently, curiosity had killed the Sparrow just as quickly. But he was ready this time.

It wouldn't happen again.

At least, he hoped not.


End file.
